Do triage nurse-initiated X-rays for limb injuries reduce patient transit time?

Abstract

Patients with isolated limb injuries are often required to wait a long time for treatment and investigation in emergency departments. It was hypothesized that allowing triage nurses to initiate X-rays would reduce transit times for these patients. A prospective, randomized comparison trial of 175 patients was conducted, comparing transit times between a group of patients who had X-rays initiated at triage and a group which did not. No statistically significant reduction in transit time was demonstrated by this change in practice, either for a group who had sustained fractures or for one which had not. Despite this finding, staff and patient satisfaction with this change in procedure was high..